THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC and PERSONAL SPENDING on PROTECTION in BRAZIL

Abstract

The two main questions addressed in this study are: What are the key drivers to spending on personal protective equipment (ppe) attributable to SARS-COV-2 risks? What are the welfare consequences of SARS-COV-2-induced changes in expenditures of personal individuals? We carried out an online survey conducted on internet and social media networks. We observed that the respondents most likely to spend a higher fraction of income on ppe expenditures are the ones who know someone who died from SARS-COV-2 and the ones who are married. Male respondents are less likely to purchase ppe. Individuals who can afford private health insurance are more likely to spend a higher proportion of income on ppe expenditures than others. Therefore, the higher the income and the number of deaths by SARS-COV-2 locally, the greater the amount spent with such purchases. The presence of children or other persons who need care in the respondent's household affects positively as well.